Chapter 258: Braveheart

After the Oscars, there were official parties and parties organized by various film companies themselves.

The Inquiry Realm American company, along with Miramax and Lionsgate, would hold a dedicated party tomorrow, hoping to make many allies and further increase their influence over Hollywood following Eisner's stepping down.

Especially now that the *Ghost Shadow* and *Insidious* series have both exploded in popularity, many producers and investors have become interested in this Chinese director's company.

The "wolf-friend" Quentin and Fatty Harvey stepped forward: "Lu, there's no reason not to have a wild party today, right?"

"And me..." Little Leo walked over, looking dispirited.

Lu Kuan asked curiously: "Where's Gisele?"

"She dumped me and left."

Leonardo helplessly spread his hands, looking at Boss Lu with no small amount of emotion: "I believe it now."

"Believe what?"

"I believe what Harvey said—you're a wizard who can divine the future."

"Gisele just wanted to break up with me; she'll be 25 next year. Bullshit!"

Harvey laughed heartily upon hearing this. "I told you long ago he was a Daoist priest, but you wouldn't believe me!"

He had long since become, like Li Li Shoucheng, a firm ally and loyal fan, wrapped in the packaging of Lu Kuan's talent and metaphysical aura.

Liu Liu Yifei's mother, Liu Ayi, held her daughter as she walked over to say goodbye to Lu Kuan: "Little Lu, we're heading back first."

"Alright. I'll have A Fei take you; it's quite chaotic here at night."

Liu Liu Yifei glanced sideways at the three white men standing shoulder-to-shoulder nearby.

Quentin, the film genius with a strange appearance and a well-known foot fetish;

The Jewish An Lushan, with a fierce appearance and a well-known reputation for lechery;

And Little Leo, the supermodel harvester with a... handsome appearance and a well-known reputation for being a playboy.

Then she looked at the "washing machine" (Lu Kuan), who already had a checkered past and countless prior offenses.

If she let Lu Kuan go wild with these fox friends tonight, what would they end up doing?

Liu Liu Yifei could guess it even if she used her own teeth to think!

She at least saved some face for Boss Lu, pulling him a few steps away: "Didn't you say you were going to carry me back?"

"This... didn't I give the little golden man to you already!"

"No, you have to do what you say."

Seeing that she wouldn't give up, Lu Kuan gestured to Harvey to keep in touch by phone and supported her arm.

"Then let's go. I'll carry you once we're out of the Kodak Theatre."

Fearing her daughter's antics would annoy Lu Kuan, Liu Ayi spoke up to persuade her: "Sister Xixi, Little Lu has business to discuss with people. Don't waste his time."

Liu Liu Yifei raised her eyebrows at her mother, signaling her not to interfere.

She didn't have the heart to expose his "human face, beast heart" on the spot.

Discuss business?

Flesh-and-blood business, more like?

Boss Lu laughed: "It's fine. They're looking to chat with me about plans for the next film; doing it a bit later is the same."

A bit later, once Harvey arranged the beauties and they went up to the third floor, it would be the same.

A Fei drove the three of them back to the hotel. Boss Lu naively thought he had escaped, but as soon as he got out of the car, he was grabbed by Liu Liu Yifei.

"I'm hungry. I've been eating very little these past few days to fit into my gown. Take me to eat."

This tone allowed for no questioning, leaving Liu Ayi stunned.

Did I miss a plot point? How is she playing such a straight ball right in front of me?

Looking at this posture, Little Lu is quite indulgent of her daughter...

"Sister Xixi, use your own judgment. Be back before 11 o'clock."

By now, the old mother had long since resigned herself to fate. Although Lu Kuan had a "bad reputation," he had strictly observed the proprieties with her daughter over these past three or four years.

Liu Liu Yifei now had plenty of her own ideas; a grown daughter is beyond a mother's control. No matter how much she wanted to manage her, she couldn't do it for much longer. Let them be.

Only the young man and woman remained in the lobby.

"You need to remember your identity. You're a female star, alright? Why is a female star going out to eat at 9 o'clock at night?"

Liu Liu Yifei pouted and acted spoiled: "I was just so hungry I had no strength, which is why I slipped and sprained my ankle."

"And why were you so hungry you had no strength? Wasn't it to accompany you on the red carpet and wear that gown?"

"Do you have a conscience saying that?"

Fine, fine, fine. You've learned to put the cart before the horse, haven't you? Do you believe me if I offered a million, there would be plenty of female stars paying to walk the Oscar red carpet?

Boss Lu found an excuse: "Isn't your foot inconvenient? Shall I have Harvey contact a Michelin restaurant and have it delivered to your room?"

"No."

"Do you understand anything? Michelin restaurants generally don't do takeout. Once the food is made and carried from the kitchen to the table, the flavor changes, let alone traveling this far."

This wasn't her talking nonsense; just like the Japanese cuisine, why is it all set up with tables surrounding the teppanyaki grill and workstation?

It's to reduce the flavor error caused by the time elapsed after the food leaves the pan.

The phone in Boss Lu's pocket had vibrated violently several times already; he didn't need to look to know it was his "wolf-friend" urging him.

The key was that Liu Ayi also trusted him and just walked away, waving her sleeves. What a big heart!

"Oh~~~ Oh, it hurts so much!"

Liu Liu Yifei lifted her left foot slightly, pouting and looking at him pitifully.

A clumsy performance, but Lu Kuan couldn't expose it openly.

If he made her unhappy, what would happen to the *Li Li Ziqi* video for MyTube that they were about to film?

"Alright! Then hurry up and go up to change your clothes. I'll wait for you here."

"Really?"

"Truer than Sadako."

The young girl hopped over on one foot and, without any sense of being an outsider, reached directly into his trouser pocket and took out his phone.

"I'll keep this as a deposit. I'll return it to you later."

Lu Kuan couldn't laugh or cry. He ordered a glass of water at the bar and sat in a booth waiting for her.

A Fei didn't follow; Boss Lu drove himself.

In the American Midwest, one can exchange a domestic driver's license for a temporary North American license; California and Washington State both follow this regulation.

Liu Liu Yifei wanted to eat hot pot; she could only find it in Chinatown.

Including Los Angeles, Chinatown in many American cities is mostly located in the city center.

The two arrived at Chinatown near Union Station. This place was also very close to Broadway and Hill Street, appearing to be a location where every inch of land was worth an inch of gold.

This was mainly because the Chinese immigrants back then were mostly there due to the Gold Rush and railroad construction work.

After the work ended, out of consideration for convenient transportation and concentrated living facilities, they settled in the city center, forming a residential community.

After parking the car, the two, who were already somewhat famous in North America, were fully armed.

"Don't move, I'll jump on."

"I thought you were walking just fine?"

"Fart, I'm in pain!"

The brave enjoy the "washing machine" first. Liu Liu Yifei jumped onto Lu Kuan, making him fulfill his promise to carry her.

It was just that the American commoners were all dancing wildly; the streets were brightly lit and full of pranksters everywhere, and no one noticed this young man and woman.

"This one?"

"Fine."

Liu Liu Yifei glanced at it and agreed.

Eating anything is the same; the key is who you eat with.

Little Liu had just gone upstairs and changed her outfit.

Wearing a baseball cap with a silver buckle strap, a loose and casual white long-sleeved T-shirt, with a black jacket draped over her shoulders, her skin was whiter than snow, elegant and clear.

Lu Kuan flipped through the menu, and she just looked at him with a smile, her head slightly raised, her beautiful eyes flowing like waves.

If this were the later self-media era, she would at least earn the reputation of "The First Deep Affection of Beidian."

"Look at you, like a tomboy."

Liu Liu Yifei laughed: "My mom told me to wear it, saying that even if I'm photographed, I won't be recognized. Does it look good?"

Boss Lu scanned her chest: "Flat and unremarkable."

"You actually have an advantage when playing a little boy."

Little Liu didn't understand what machine-gun fire the "washing machine" was playing. She shifted her butt to sit beside him, leaning in to look at the menu together.

"Order all the meat!"

Liu Liu Yifei's arm unintentionally touched his forearm, cool and refreshing, sending a faint, subtle fragrance.

Lu Kuan turned his head and glanced at her: "The mint scent on you is quite nice. Is it perfume?"

"Yeah, Armani's Jade Dragon Tea scent. Smells good, right?"

Little Liu was proud: "The top note is a citrus scent with water vapor, and the base note is a mint tea scent."

She leaned in close to Boss Lu like a drug-sniffing dog and smelled him, satisfied: "Not bad, no strong smoke smell. The little sachet I gave you still worked."

Boss Lu, while enjoying the beauty by his side, regretfully drew lines with his pen: "It's just lamb, unfortunately, we can't eat tripe, yellow throat, or anything like that."

Little Sheep was founded in Inner Mongolia in 1998, and in November 2003, it expanded to overseas markets. Los Angeles was its first store in the United States.

The pot base and dipping sauce were improved, but let's just make do with it abroad. At this point in 2005, it wasn't easy to eat a hot pot meal in the United States.

The dishes in the private room were quickly served. Liu Liu Yifei had never had any table manners in front of him and began to gorge herself excitedly.

The two used their chopsticks tirelessly, and before long, they had finished two plates of lamb rolls.

"Little Liu, do you know what your biggest advantage is?"

Liu Liu Yifei, with meat stuffed in her mouth, looked up foolishly: "Hmm?"

"Appetizing! Eating with you always makes it feel so delicious!"

"Shouldn't you say I'm 'a feast for the eyes,' and that seeing me makes you full without eating?"

Boss Lu sneered: "You think more beautifully than you look."

"Lu Kuan, I didn't expect to be able to eat hot pot here. Truly satisfying!"

"In Chinese catering, hot pot restaurants are the easiest to expand."

"Why?"

Lu Kuan put down his chopsticks and pulled two tissues for her: "Standardization."

"Personnel service, product quality control, environmental decoration, management 6S standards, etc. You just need to replicate it exactly. As long as the brand is established."

Liu Liu Yifei remembered the time she ate at South Beauty before the New Year, listening to Wang Wang Xiaofei brag about how many branches his family had opened. It sounded just like that.

It wasn't even as good as this Little Sheep hot pot restaurant. People had already opened branches in North America.

She suddenly had a flash of inspiration: "Hey, what do you think about me opening a hot pot restaurant?"

"Not much. You don't have that brain."

Liu Liu Yifei was unconvinced: "I'll just invest, use myself to advertise. Could it be that no one would eat there?"

In the later era, stars opening shops were generally miserable, and the few that could make money were those that took the path of crazy expansion to earn franchise fees.

"How much money do you have to invest? This thing, once you really open branches, it's not a matter of a few hundred or a few thousand."

"Hehe, I don't have much money now, but after August, I will."

Little Liu raised her eyebrows at the capitalist opposite her, her pride overflowing.

Boss Lu's face darkened, and a plan suddenly came to mind: "How about I lend it to you?"

Borrowing money to invest, failing and losing big, paying off the debt with her body—this plot is not bad.

"I'll think about it."

Out of kindness, Boss Lu still gave her two pointers: "First, I suggest you don't invest. Second, I suggest you invest in a hot pot restaurant with good standardization and service."

"The flavor of hot pot is much the same. The domestic service industry is still stuck in the old thinking that 'good wine is not afraid of deep alleys'."

"If you really want to invest and play around, find one that does service and standardization well."

Standardization means it's easy to open branches, easy to expand, easy to tell stories, and easy to attract the favor of venture capital.

The phone on the table suddenly rang. Boss Lu looked over; it was Zhang Zhang Huijun.

It was four or five in the afternoon domestically; it should be about the Pan-Asia Film Academy.

"Hello? Principal Zhang."

"Lu Kuan, congratulations first!"

The news of winning the Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film had already spread like wildfire domestically. Inquiry Realm alone had received over twenty interview requests just for returning home.

"Haha, thank you, Principal. I've contacted several Hollywood directors for tomorrow to see if I can dig up some teachers for the Pan-Asia Film Academy."

Zhang Zhang Huijun said pleasantly: "Good, good, good. Our application documents are also being pushed through with a green light by people we've asked."

"By the way, calling you actually has a matter."

Zhang Zhang Huijun in the office nodded to the guest from Tangshan, signaling that he would speak now and for them not to be anxious.

"Regarding the *Aftershock* film, the Tangshan side is willing to give up controlling interest."

"It just so happens that their Secretary Zhao is in the capital for a meeting and wants to find time to invite you to sit down and chat. What do you think?"

Boss Lu understood in his heart. This was because they saw he had won the Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film and were afraid that if they dragged it out, there would be no hope at all, so they had to make concessions.

In fact, he had considered this matter for several days, but he still instinctively used the "drag" tactic.

"Alright. Once the return ticket is booked, have Inquiry Realm notify the principal's office and coordinate a time?"

"Good, then let's leave it at that."

As soon as he hung up the phone, Liu Liu Yifei asked impatiently: "What is the Pan-Asia Film Academy? Digging for teachers?"

There was nothing to hide from her. Lu Kuan explained: "I'm graduating early soon. Inquiry Realm is preparing to cooperate with Beidian to establish a film research center."

"The name is tentatively Pan-Asia Film Academy, dedicated to cultivating a batch of commercial film and genre film directors according to Hollywood film industry standards."

"Wow! That's amazing, isn't it? Then aren't you going to be the principal?"

Boss Lu laughed heartily: "That's right. You call me that first and let me hear it!"

Principal—like father, like teacher—is another title that adds a buff.

"Cut, I'm not going to school. Whoever wants to call you that can call you that."

"Then what's the matter with Tangshan and all that?"

This topic really gave him a headache. It was a major matter; he had to be cautious!

"Hey, I'm talking to you!"

Little Liu pouted in dissatisfaction, misunderstanding that he was distracted again thinking about some messy things.

"Let's go? Drive around for a bit."

"Alright!"

Twenty minutes' drive from downtown Los Angeles, there was Santa Monica Beach. Boss Lu parked the car on the side of the road. Liu Liu Yifei pressed half her body weight onto him and stumbled toward the seaside.

The two sat on a bench by the sea. Lu Kuan, burdened with worries, draped his jacket over the young girl and watched the rolling waves without speaking.

Liu Liu Yifei also noticed that something was wrong with him; he had been somewhat depressed ever since Tangshan was mentioned.

Looking at the white waves within sight, Little Liu tried hard to find a topic, wanting to break this terrible silence.

"You say... the Indonesian tsunami a few months ago, those people watching the giant waves tens of meters high rushing toward them, how desperate must they have been?"

It had only been a little over three months since the Indonesian tsunami at the end of December 2004, and international rescue efforts were still continuing.

The 9.3 magnitude earthquake was the third largest earthquake in the world on record.

Mentioning this topic, Lu Kuan became even more silent.

512.

Numbers jumped before his eyes, and the noise of the waves not far away hammered his heart, one blow after another.

"Little Liu."

"Hmm?"

Liu Liu Yifei turned her head to look at the man beside her, suddenly feeling that he seemed to have just walked out of the night, his eyes clear.

Lu Kuan bared his white teeth and looked at her: "I met the director of *Braveheart*, Mel Gibson, today."

"I remembered a line from William Wallace in the movie."

"Every man dies, not every man really lives."

Everyone will die, but not everyone has truly lived.

As if having made a certain determination, Lu Kuan took out his phone and sent messages to Zhang Zhang Huijun and Secretary Li of Tangshan.

He wanted to film *Aftershock*; he wanted to use this film to do something, even though he might encounter the unknown.

Little Liu was baffled by his sudden acting desire, just treating it as the habitual madness of an artist.

The young director then looked up and smiled at Liu Liu Yifei: "If one day I have nothing, what will you do?"

Liu Liu Yifei was stunned, unable to keep up with his jumping thinking, and it was impossible to keep up with his jumping thinking.

She wrinkled her nose, pointed her finger at her lips, and acted as if she were thinking.

"Hmm... you can come to the hot pot restaurant I just acquired and wash dishes."

"Just that?"

"Hmm... I'll hire you to help me wash clothes, the serious kind of washing clothes."

Boss Lu laughed heartily: "Fine, but you have to pay extra."

——

"Leader! Leader! Good news! Great good news!"

Zhao Yong got out of the car in front of the hotel of the Hebei Provincial Office in Beijing. Little Li clamored as he greeted him from the lobby.

"Why are you so panicked? Speak slowly."

Secretary Li followed him step by step, exceptionally excited: "He agreed! Director Lu agreed!"

"Really!?"

Zhao Yong had been in meetings all day and was dizzy. This could be considered the best news he had heard recently.

"Good! The Berlin Golden Bear, the Venice Golden Lion, and now there's another Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film."

"I think more audiences will see this film of ours, and the influence will be even greater!"

Secretary Li laughed: "Leader, don't be too happy too early. We gave up controlling interest. How this film is shot, both sides still need to sit down and talk."

"Then let's talk. As long as he is willing to take it, whether it's personal treatment or surface support, everything will be 'lenient'!"

Little Li probed: "Then the Yanda Huayi side..."

"Feng Feng Xiaogang won't have time until next year at the earliest. We can't wait that long. Lu Lu Chuan..."

"Let's forget it."

Little Li nodded in agreement, respectfully sending the alcohol-smelling leader back to rest, and returned to his room.

He dialed Wang Wang Xiaolei's phone.

"President Wang, you're not resting, are you?"

"Secretary Li, where are you? Do you want to come out for a drink?"

The sound on Wang Wang Xiaolei's end was noisy. He walked out of the KTV room, full of joy, thinking it was some good news.

But a few seconds later, his heart sank: "Can the leader consider it again?"

"Secretary Li, listen to me. We have now invested in the Zhonghua Heng Film and Television Company and are fully capable of releasing this film overseas."

"Warner is one of the Big Six!"

"Besides, Director Lu Lu Chuan is also very talented, and also..."

Not knowing what was said on the other end of the phone, Wang Wang Xiaolei's voice stopped abruptly, and he hung up the phone dejectedly.

Through the glass of the room door, watching Taro on the sofa still hugging a little sister and singing, Wang Wang Xiaolei simply didn't know what to say.

"Best Foreign Language Film... can't stop it..."

He muttered as he walked to the bathroom, informing Zhou Jun and his big brother of the Tangshan side's decision to completely reject Yanda Huayi and Lu Lu Chuan from taking on the film project. (Note 1)

It was conceivable that it would be another scene of chaos.

On the evening of February 28th, Western US time, Inquiry Realm, Lionsgate, and Miramax, which had already become independent from Disney, held a party in Beverly Hills to celebrate *The Exotic* winning two major awards: Best Foreign Language Film and Best Visual Effects.

Liu Liu Yifei and her mother had already flown back to Beiping.

Her filming schedule for *Bad Genius* was very tight. The purpose of walking the Oscar red carpet to get familiar with Hollywood and raise her status had been achieved.

Celebrities and big shots socialized familiarly; whether actors or directors, they were all very willing to get to know this Eastern director who had become famous at the Oscars for his wit and humor.

Not to mention the hurricane his *The Exotic* had stirred up in the North American market last year.

Harvey tapped his glass with a fork: "Ladies and gentlemen, please be quiet for a moment. I have an announcement to make."

"Last year, Lionsgate and Miramax cooperated with our genius director Lu, making *The Exotic* popular all over the world."

"Currently, *The Exotic 2* is already in script preparation. We will keep the original cast, launch the project before the end of the year, and officially release it next summer!"

The scene was filled with applause, only Tom Cruise's expression wasn't very good.

It was just that he knew in his heart that he couldn't escape responsibility for the backstabbing last time. This time, there was no part for him in the role of producer for the sequel.

At that time in Cannes in 2003, because the fledgling Boss Lu hadn't yet gained recognition in the North American market, he needed to find a Hollywood authority to endorse him.

Now he could initiate this project himself, at most pulling in Lionsgate and Harvey to give up a little share.

Of course, domestic allies like Old Han and Emperor Group couldn't be left out of a share of the pie. Such a sequel that was clearly going to make money was almost an open card.

Lu Kuan pushed Lin Yibin to stand in front of everyone: "Lin Yibin from Inquiry Realm will serve as the director for *The Exotic 2*, and I will serve as the producer."

"Justin, say hello to everyone."

Actually, no introduction was needed. The success of the low-budget film *Insidious* in the North American independent film market over the past two years had already pushed this young Chinese-American director to the forefront.

Everyone marveled that this Eastern director not only had high-level ability in training actors but was also good at cultivating directors.

Boss Lu nodded at Harvey, letting Lin Yibin accept media interviews, starting the same promotional offensive as the previous work from the moment the project was launched.

"Lu, the salary for your little girlfriend..."

Boss Lu didn't refute his statement about the little girlfriend, just frowned: "The script and German tax rebate matters still need time. It's estimated that filming will start at least in November."

"At that time, just talk to her according to Zhang Zhang Ziyi's salary treatment. Business is business."

"OK."

Harvey looked around: "Let's go. The person you want to see is here."

Boss Lu's eyes lit up, and he quickly locked onto a blond man in his thirties following his gaze.

Christopher Nolan.

That's right, he was here to lobby this big commercial film director to serve as a mentor at the Pan-Asia Film Academy, which would officially open next September.

Nolan in 2005 actually wasn't as god-like as the fanatical film fans of the later era hyped him up to be.

He appeared in the public eye in 2000 after receiving Oscar and Golden Globe nominations for Best Screenplay for *Memento*.

But the one that truly gained recognition in the field of big commercial films was this year's *Batman Begins*.

The 35-year-old Nolan was also very polite to this Chinese director; after all, both his honors and box office were far superior to his own.

"Lu, it's an honor to meet you."

"Haha, have you finished filming *Batman*?"

"Almost. Once finished, I'll invite you to take a look and give some suggestions."

Lu Kuan didn't know if Nolan had final cut rights now. If not, his suggestions would be useless.

"My honor."

Including Harvey, the three sat by the water bar and talked about business.

"Nolan, having Harvey invite you to meet is because I want to invite you to serve as a mentor at a film academy I founded."

"What?"

Asking him to film, write a script, or talk about work, he could imagine, but what the hell is a mentor at a film academy?

Regarding the candidate for this director invited from Hollywood, Lu Kuan had considered many people.

Martin Scorsese, who had a better relationship with him now—he was a master, but he wasn't the type of mentor he had in mind, and he wouldn't agree to it himself.

To put it bluntly, the current Pan-Asia Film Academy is a "technical school" that teaches the full set of Hollywood film industrial processes!

You invite a master like Martin to a technical school?

Too ridiculous.

Moreover, his film style couldn't be learned or imitated; it wasn't the path of commercial films.

Spielberg?

Even less suitable.

Not to mention the issue of status and treatment.

This true genius director who filmed *Jaws* at 29, as a milestone figure in film history, had already transcended the identity of a director.

From the treasure-hunting adventure theme of *Indiana Jones* to the dinosaur disaster film *Jurassic Park*;

From the drama *Schindler's List* to the war film *Saving Private Ryan*, Spielberg demonstrated an extremely powerful directing level.

The works he created were among the best in the same type of films, and in the later era, few could surpass Spielberg in the same type; most were just imitating.

This is also a master, and a master who runs his own company, works as a producer, and directs; he is neither easy to invite nor can he be afforded.

As for other commercial blockbuster directors in Hollywood, there are only James Cameron, Peter Jackson, and Nolan.

The first two don't need to be considered; looking at the possibility of landing, Nolan is the only choice.

Of course, there is also Boss Lu's wolf-friend Quentin, who has already been attracted by the invitation from Beiping's Heaven on Earth and readily agreed.

Looking further at the director's type and style, first of all, Nolan basically has no art-house works; the vast majority of his works are commercial films.

Nolan makes movies mainly to make money; the few times he has tried to lean toward art-house films, like "Dunkirk," they still cater to mass aesthetics.

He is like a top chef of commercial films, very good at selecting the best ingredients and turning them into a delicious feast.

From "Oppenheimer," which helped him win an Oscar in later generations, it can be seen that the film's score, cinematography, acting, and editing are all at the top level of commercial films.

Nolan has just made a name for himself through blockbusters this year and is not yet a guest of honor at major film companies, but his techniques for commercial blockbusters have already matured.

For the first batch of students at the Asia Film Academy, this level is already enough to teach them until graduation.

Nolan was stunned for a moment, then shook his head and smiled: "Please forgive me, I cannot agree; I still prefer making movies."

"Besides, I don't think I have anything to teach others right now."

Harvey had heard Lu Kuan and Quentin chatting before, but he didn't know how the little Oriental immortal found Nolan.

Could it be that he has some genius that he himself hasn't discovered?

Harvey decided to pay attention to the performance of Warner's "Batman Begins" this year.

Nolan is not Bethune; he won't travel thousands of miles to the mainland, where the film industry is slightly withered, to sow the seeds of film culture.

To persuade him, one can only offer sufficient benefits.

"Let me first introduce the situation of this school?"

"Pan-Asia Film Academy, co-organized by China, Japan, and South Korea, the teaching model is similar to your American AFI."

"Currently, it is tentatively a three-year program; the first year is basic theory and short film shooting, one to two films every one to two months."

"The second year is large-scale crew internships, going to the world's excellent commercial blockbuster crews, especially Hollywood crews, for internships."

"In the third year, we will provide funds for them to shoot feature films; of course, the cost will not be too high."

Nolan's eyes widened as he listened: "Feature films? Isn't your school a bit too extravagant?"

"Even AFI doesn't have such boldness!"

Boss Lu smiled: "The academy's professors and I will gatekeep the scripts, and the short films produced will be broadcast on video websites and TV stations in China and the US."

"A few particularly excellent feature films will be released in theaters according to standard procedures."

"For students who do not pass the feature film assessment, I will provide them with opportunities to shoot web dramas, and the finished films can be broadcast on my TV station and video websites."

Providing shooting opportunities? It's just treating them like cattle and horses.

I, Boss Lu, never lose money.

Also, short films and web dramas can all drive traffic, providing high-quality content resources for video websites, and then recouping costs through advertisements.

Not only Nolan, but even Harvey, who heard such a detailed plan for the first time, was listening intently.

It's just that this future commercial blockbuster director still didn't have much interest.

"I'm very sorry, I don't think this project is suitable for me."

Boss Lu smiled: "I know you like making commercial blockbusters; this year's 'Batman Begins' is your first attempt."

"Have you ever thought that if this movie's box office is not ideal or optimistic, no one in Hollywood will invest in you again?"

Nolan's expression didn't look good; didn't you tell jokes quite well at the Oscars yesterday?

Why are you starting to curse me before it's even released?

"I'll give you some data: the domestic box office in 2002 was only 900 million, in 2003 it was 1.4 billion, and in 2004 it exceeded 2 billion."

"China's screen count is now expanding rapidly at a growth rate of about 35% per year; if it follows this speed, it will exceed the United States within ten years, not only in screen count but also in box office!"

Nolan spread his hands: "But what does this have to do with me?"

"What does it have to do with you?"

Boss Lu looked at him with an incredulous expression and began to crazily CPU him.

"I have the largest film company in the country, and I also have many excellent commercial blockbuster scripts, no less than 'The Fountain'."

"Cooperate with me, and you can get the treatment of a co-production, turning excellent scripts into blockbusters to enter the mainland."

"For example, for this 'Batman Begins' of yours, if you enter the mainland as an imported film, the revenue-sharing ratio is only 13%."

"But if I provide funds, you select actors in Hollywood, and the two countries co-produce, the revenue-sharing ratio is as high as 41%; what kind of concept is this?"

Wealth moves people's hearts; there isn't a single Hollywood director who doesn't know how to calculate, because they have long faced strict audits from completion bond companies and producers.

Nolan was obviously moved.

And for Boss Lu, the upper limit of the development of Lin Yibin and Emil in North America is just that of independent film craftsmen, but Nolan is a top-tier god of commercial blockbusters.

At his current age of thirty-five, before he has made his mark, establishing a cooperative relationship in this way, or even buying shares in his private film company, is a good choice.

Right now, Lu Kuan still has his "Inception" copied in his computer; it's still the original quality with a guarantee, and he can sit back and collect money.

Let's not talk about the domestic side; there are only so many directors who can be brought out, and they still need to be cultivated and excavated.

There are so many excellent commercial film directors abroad, there's no reason not to invest in them to work for himself.

Including the "Twilight" series that is about to be acquired, Huang Anna has already prepared to talk to the original director Catherine about signing the contract.

It is expected that she will direct the first one, first building this gold mine IP well.

"Alright, but I might not have that much time, this..."

Lu Kuan dispelled his concerns: "The first month is theory class, the rest is filming; you only need to come to China once a month to help them comment and correct."

"Daily assignments can be graded via the internet."

"When the students are in their second year, as a producer, you need to be present to gatekeep."

Capitalist Lu paused: "However, such feature films will also give you instructors a share of the profits; we won't let you work for nothing."

Seeing that Nolan was already on the verge of "surrendering," Harvey added fuel to the fire.

"Quentin has already agreed; you can trust Lu, he never pits his friends."

Hmm...

Being pitted by him was also a misunderstanding, An Lushan thought logically to himself.

"Good! I agree!"

Boss Lu smiled and shook hands with him.

No!

He had grasped the hooves of a future North American cattle and horse!

Whatever "The Prestige," "Inception," "Interstellar," etc., just go ahead and shoot them!

The cocktail party ended in a pleasant atmosphere; the next day, Lu Kuan and Huang Anna, together, received a domestic guest at the office of Wenjie North America.

Chen Chen Tianqiao had arrived.

The meeting process was short; Emil's Jewish banker mother, Farina, connected with him on the situation of Gunner Investment's accumulation of Sina shares on NASDAQ.

Chen Chen Tianqiao had also already persuaded Wang Wang Zhidong to transfer equity through connections in China, with the condition of swapping it with Shanda's equity.

Such a price is not low, but for Chen, controlling Sina is the top priority.

As the second-largest shareholder of Sina after the upcoming change of ownership, the Gunner Foundation maintained consistency with Chen Chen Tianqiao within limited conditions.

As a condition of exchange, regarding the development of Sina Blog, Lu Kuan's side required Chen Chen Tianqiao to support his own restriction and weakening of it.

This was mainly to avoid it becoming a public opinion front for opponents, repeating the mistakes of the last time.

In other aspects, letting it develop as it pleases would still never catch up to Blog. com; it had fallen too far behind.

As the mastermind behind the scenes, Lu Kuan obviously was not yet willing to expose his identity as a shareholder in Sina, continuing to maintain a tacit understanding with Chen Chen Tianqiao.

How long this tacit understanding would last depended on the speed of Shanda's transition from prosperity to decline.

Just this year, Shanda was about to lose its competitive advantage due to changes in its core game "Legend," and the copyright lawsuit with the Korean side led to the loss of core technical support.

Having no other choice, Chen Chen Tianqiao instructed the game team to launch a series of paid activities criticized by players, such as Wolong Villa and Breaking the Heavenly Pass.

These activities were considered excessive money-grabbing, seriously damaging the game's balance and fairness, and also buried hidden dangers for Shanda's subsequent collapse.

Since the move had already been made, all Lu Kuan, the chess player, had to do was wait.

Not only waiting for Yanda Huayi, but also waiting for Shanda.

Two days later, Boss Lu flew to Beiping and immediately rushed to Zhao Yong's invitation without stopping.

No. 1, Zhui Ba Gongjian Hutong, Dongcheng District; this is the location of the Hebei Provincial Office in Beijing, the Qinghe Hotel.

As soon as he entered the door, the elegant beauty in a cheongsam had already recognized this internationally renowned young director.

"Director Lu, hello, please come with me."

"Okay."

From the outside, it looked like a third-rate hotel, but the interior decoration was a different world; this was to avoid censorship.

Pushing the door to enter an inconspicuous private room, the round dining table made of high-quality rosewood was like a mirror, glowing with a warm luster under the reflection of the brilliant crystal chandelier.

On the surrounding walls, high-grade silk wallpaper with dark patterns was mounted, and several oil paintings in a classical European style were inlaid.

Whether it was the quiet pastoral scenery or the elegant aristocratic banquet scene, everything made one feel a rich artistic atmosphere.

With this simple glance, the few people sitting there all stood up.

A person of extraordinary bearing in the system took the initiative to reach out: "Director Lu, I've long admired you."

Zhang Zhang Huijun smiled and stood up: "Little Lu, this is Secretary Zhao."

"Oh my, Secretary Zhao, hello, hello."

"When you come to Beiping, it should be us at the Film Academy playing the host; President Zhang, why don't you ask the distinguished guest to move to my place?"

Zhao Yong waved his hand: "Eh, Director Lu, please don't be so polite; eating anywhere is the same, it's just that the conditions here are a bit simple, I hope you two don't mind?"

Boss Lu sneered in his heart; your private room is decorated almost like the Chang'an Club, how can you call it simple?

"I'm not a Beiping native, but I often hear Beiping gourmets say that if you want to eat authentic food from all over the country without leaving Beiping, you have to come to the provincial offices in Beijing."

"It seems I can taste the flavor of Hebei Province today, right?"

Zhao Yong thought to himself that this person knows how to talk; I'm afraid the negotiation about the film shooting ideas won't go very smoothly later.

The host, Secretary Zhao, raised his glass first: "President Zhang, everyone, for this first glass of wine, let's raise our glasses together to congratulate Director Lu on winning the Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film, how about it?"

"Good!"

"Come, cheers!"

Almost everyone at this table was in the system, and with Boss Lu, an old hand at drinking, the atmosphere soon became familiar.

After three rounds of drinks, Zhao Yong went straight to the point and chatted about the earthquake movie.

"Director Lu, for the shooting and operation of this movie, we accept Wenjie's requirement of holding 51% of the shares, but regarding the shooting ideas..."

Lu Kuan cut off his words.

"Secretary Zhao, I understand your thoughts very well, because countless mainstream movies in the past have followed the same routine."

"I have some immature ideas over the past two days, but I can turn the mainstream into a blockbuster, allowing more audiences around the world to see it."

"Are you interested?"

(End of chapter)